Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor - Features

Donaldson shows off the bed in the master bedroom (left) while explaining renovation plans as he prepares to welcome guests for the upcoming Cricket World Cup (right). - Photos by Robert Lalah

Just one more coat of paint and a bit of work with a bucket and a mop, and that should be it. With any luck, the place will be ready in a couple of weeks. Well, that's what Richard Donaldson hopes. He's one of about 600 persons who have decided to welcome complete strangers into their homes for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, and make some extra cash at the same time. He'll do this, by converting his home in Mona, St. Andrew, into a bed and breakfast concept.

Mr. Donaldson was sweating a lot and shouting orders to a short, rugged-looking man with a hammer in his hand.

"You'll have to excuse me. We're trying to get things done as soon as possible," he said.

There was dust everywhere in the living room of his home, and furniture was out of place because the floor was being cleaned. "Yes, we have a lot of work to do, but hopefully, we'll be ready very soon. I'm not worried," he said.

There are three bedrooms in the spacious house and Mr. Donaldson plans to use them all for guests. "I don't really care where they come from. I'm leaning toward married couples though, and even if they have children, that would be just fine," he said.

The master bedroom, which has a bathroom inside, will go for US$80 (J$5,200) per night, and the other two rooms will go for about US$70 (J$4,550) each night. Not a bad way to make some extra money, but that's not what pushed the retired information systems specialist to sign up for the bed and breakfast programme.

A great opportunity

"Oh, I just love meeting new people from different places and cultures. It makes me really happy," he said, smiling. "All these people coming here to spend some time, it's a great opportunity," the man added.

Now, no matter where his guests come from, Mr. Donaldson shouldn't have much problem communicating with them. He's fluent in several languages and is eager to put his skills to work. Coming up with things to talk about, however, may prove a bit more tricky. "I'm no fan of cricket!" Mr. Donaldson chuckled. "I'm not big on sports in general, but I know the basics. We won't be able to talk very much about that at all, but I'm sure we can come up with something else," he said.

Mr. Donaldson signed up with the Tourism Product Development Company to have his home used as a bed and breakfast during the World Cup. He's already undergone training and is now awaiting a final inspection of his home. After that, he'll be fully certified.

He's already thinking about what he'll be making for breakfast for his guests when they arrive, and boasts that he's the son of popular culinary expert, Enid Donaldson. "Let's just say that I learned a thing or two from my mother," he said.

So, with only a few weeks until the start of the event, Mr. Donaldson seems ready to go. There's just one thing. If there are three bedrooms in the house and he plans to use them all for guests, then where is he going to sleep?

"Oh, I'm converting a passageway into a small spot for me. I don't need more than that. I'll be comfortable. As long as the visitors are comfortable, well, that's all that counts," he said.